Ice making apparatus for refrigerator

ABSTRACT

Provided is an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator. The ice making apparatus includes an ice making unit and a storage unit. The ice making unit generates ice, and the storage unit supplies water into the ice making unit. The storage unit includes a body in which a storage space storing the water is defined, a cover opening and closing the storage space, and a leakage prevention member coupled to the cover to prevent the water within the body from leaking. The leakage prevention member includes one or more chambers therein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments relate to an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator.

BACKGROUND ART

A refrigerator is a home appliance that stores foods at a lowtemperature.

Due to consumers' diversified tastes and changes in dietary life,consumers prefer larger and multi-functional refrigerators, and thus,refrigerators having various components are appearing on the market.

An ice making apparatus generating ice is provided in the refrigeratorfor user convenience. The ice making apparatus for the refrigerator isdisposed in a refrigerator body or a refrigerator door to generate theice using cool air. The ice making apparatus may include at least icemaking unit and a water storage unit supplying water into the ice makingunit.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

Embodiments provide an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator that canprevent water stored in a water storage unit from leaking.

Technical Solution

In one embodiment, an ice making apparatus for a refrigerator includes:an ice making unit for generating ice; and a storage unit for supplyingwater into the ice making unit, wherein the storage unit includes: abody in which a storage space storing the water is defined; a coveropening and closing the storage space; and a leakage prevention membercoupled to the cover to prevent the water within the body from leaking,the leakage prevention member including one or more chambers therein.

In another embodiment, an ice making apparatus for a refrigeratorincludes: an ice making unit for generating ice; and a storage unit forsupplying water into the ice making unit, wherein the storage unitincludes: a body in which a storage space storing the water is defined;a cover opening and closing the storage space; a plurality of ribsprotruding from the cover, and the plurality of ribs being spaced fromeach other; and a leakage prevention member coupled between theplurality of ribs, wherein the ribs protruding from the cover haveheights different from each other.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS

According to a proposed embodiment, since the elastic force of theleakage prevention member increases to improve sealing, it can preventthe water within the water storage unit from leaking.

Also, since the water within the water storage unit does not leak, itcan prevent the outer appearance of the ice making apparatus(especially, the water storage unit) from being dirtied due to freezingaccording to the leakage of the water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice making apparatus for arefrigerator according to an embodiment, the ice making apparatus beinginstalled in a refrigerator door.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice making apparatus for arefrigerator according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a water storage unit according to anembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a water storage unit in which a coverthereof is opened according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 4.

MODE FOR THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments,reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof,and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferredembodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodimentsare described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments maybe utilized and that logical structural, mechanical, electrical, andchemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilledin the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certaininformation known to those skilled in the art. The following detaileddescription is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and thescope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice making apparatus for arefrigerator according to an embodiment, the ice making apparatus beinginstalled in a refrigerator door.

Referring to FIG. 1, an ice making apparatus 10 for a refrigeratoraccording to an embodiment is coupled to an inner surface of arefrigerator door 5. In order to generate ice using the ice makingapparatus 10, it is preferable that the refrigerator door 5 is a freezercompartment door. However, in case where a separate unit for supplyingcool air into the ice making apparatus 10 is added, the ice makingapparatus 10 may be disposed in a refrigerator compartment.

The ice making apparatus 10 includes a case 11 defining an outerappearance of the ice making apparatus 10, an ice making unit 100received in the case 11, an ice bank 200 disposed in a lower portion ofthe ice making unit 100 to store the ice made by the ice making unit100, and a water storage unit 300 disposed in an upper portion of theice making unit 100 to store water to be supplied into the ice makingunit 100.

The water storage unit 300 and the ice bank 200 are separately coupledto the case 11. Alternatively, the water storage unit 300 and the icebank 200 may be slidingly or rotatably coupled to the case 11 to allowat least portion of the water storage unit 300 and at least portion ofthe ice bank 200 to be withdrawn from the case 11.

An operation of the ice making apparatus 10 including above-describedcomponents will be simply described below.

In order to obtain ice, a user fills the water storage unit 300 withwater. The water storage unit 300 is coupled to the case 11 in a statewhere the water storage unit 300 is filled with the water. The waterstored in the water storage unit 300 is supplied into the ice makingunit 100 through a predetermined passage.

The water supplied into the ice making unit 100 freezes by cool airintroduced into the ice making unit 100. When ice is produced in the icemaking unit 100, the user conveys the ice produced in the ice makingunit 100 to store the conveyed ice into the ice bank 200. The userwithdraws the ice bank 200 from the case 11 to obtain the ice.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice making apparatus for arefrigerator according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2, the ice making unit 100 includes at least one ormore trays 110 and 120, a lever 130, a power transmission portion 140,and a cover member 104. The at least one or more trays 110 and 120 arerotatably provided in the case 11. The lever 130 rotates the trays 110and 120. The power transmission portion 140 transmits a rotation forceof the lever 130 to the trays 110 and 120. The cover member 104 iscoupled to a side surface of the case 11 to cover the power transmissionportion 140.

In detail, the trays 110 and 120 are divided into the upper tray 110 andthe lower tray 120.

A rotating shaft of the lower tray 120 is disposed at a position whichis backwardly spaced a predetermined distance from a rotating shaft ofthe upper tray 110 such that the ice frozen in the upper tray 110 doesnot fall into an upper portion of the lower tray 120 when the upper tray110 is rotated.

The trays 110 and 120 are connected to the power transmission portion140 to receive the rotation force generated from the lever 130. As aresult, the trays 110 and 120 are rotated in the same direction as thatof the lever 130.

The lever 130 is rotatably coupled to a side surface of the case 11 toprovide the rotation force to the power transmission portion 140.

A configuration of the power transmission portion 140 will now bedescribed in detail.

The power transmission portion 140 includes a driving gear 150, aplurality of connecting gears 160 and 170, and a plurality of drivengears 180 and 190. The driving gear 150 is connected to the lever 130and rotated together with the lever 130. The plurality of connectinggears 160 and 170 is engaged with the driving gear 150 and rotated bythe driving gear 150. The plurality of driven gears 180 and 190 isengaged with the connecting gears 160 and 170 and coupled to therotating shafts of the trays 110 and 120, respectively.

The driving gear 150 is coupled to a gear coupling portion 132 disposedon the lever 130.

The connecting gears 160 and 170 are divided into the upper connectinggear 160 and the lower connecting gear 170. The upper connecting gear160 is engaged with the driving gear 150. The lower connecting gear 170is engaged with each of the driven gears 180 and 190. The upperconnecting gear 160 and the lower connecting gear 170 are integratedwith each other. A diameter of the upper connecting gear 160 isdifferent from that of the lower connecting gear 170.

The plurality of driven gears 180 and 190 are divided into the upperdriven gear 180 connected to the upper tray 110 and the lower drivengear 190 connected to the lower tray 120.

The connecting gears 160 and 170 and the driven gears 180 and 190 arerotatably coupled to the case 11.

Thus, when the driving gear 150 is rotated in one direction by pullingthe lever 130, the connecting gears 160 and 170 engaged with the drivinggear 150 are rotated in the other direction. When the connecting gears160 and 170 are rotated in the other direction, the driven gears 180 and190 are rotated in the same direction as that of the driving gear 150.When the driven gears 180 and 190 are rotated, the trays 110 and 120 arerotated. As a result, the ice generated in the trays 110 and 120 fallsinto the ice bank 200 and is stored in the ice bank 200.

The water storage unit 300 in which the water to be supplied into thetrays 110 and 120 of the ice making unit 100 is stored is disposed inthe upper portion of the ice making unit 100.

The water storage unit 300 is separately coupled to an upper portion ofthe case 11.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a water storage unit according to anembodiment, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a water storage unit inwhich a cover thereof is opened according to an embodiment, and FIG. 5is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the water storage unit 300 includes a body310 in which the water is stored, a cover 330 coupled to the body 310,and a leakage prevention member 370 coupled to the cover 330 to preventthe water within the body 310 from leaking.

The body 310 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape having an opened topsurface. A water storage space 311 for storing the water is definedinside the body 310. The water storage space 311 is partitioned by apartition to supply the water to each of the trays 110 and 120. Althoughnot shown, a discharging unit for selectively discharging the waterstored in the water storage space 311 is disposed in a bottom surface ofthe water storage space 311.

That is, when the water storage unit 300 containing the water is coupledto the upper portion of the case 11, the discharging unit respectivelysupplies the water within the water storage space 311 into the treys 110and 120. When the water storage unit 300 is separated from the case 11,the water discharging unit prevents the water within the water storagespace 311 from leaking.

A hooking end 313 coupled to a locking member 334 of the cover 330protrudes forwardly from an upper end of a front surface (when viewed inFIG. 4) of the body 310. The hooking end 313 is integrated with the body310 when the body 310 is fabricated. The hooking end 313 has a plateshape having a predetermined thickness so that the locking member 334interferes and is hooked.

A pressing rib 314 pressing the leakage prevention member 370 when thecover 330 is closed is disposed on a top surface of the body 310. Thepressing rib 314 is integrated with the body 310 when the body 310 isfabricated. The pressing rib 314 protrudes in an upward direction of thebody 310 from a position corresponding to the leakage prevention member370.

The pressing rib 314 has a loop shape.

A coupling end 316 to which the cover 330 is hinge-coupled is disposedon an upper end of a rear surface (when viewed in FIG. 4) of the body310. A hinge hole 317 to which the cover 330 is hinge-coupled is definedin the coupling end 316.

The cover 330 is coupled to the upper portion of the body 310 toselectively shield the water storage space 311.

An inlet 331 is defined by punching a central portion of the top surfaceof the cover 330. The inlet 331 introduces water into the water storagespace 311 in a state where the cover 330 shields the water storage space111. The inlet 331 is selectively opened and closed by an inlet lid 332.

The inlet lid 332 is hinge-coupled to the top surface of the cover 330.A sealing member (not shown) may be disposed between the inlet lid 332and the inlet 331 to prevent the water from leaking.

A guide recess 333 disposed at a level lower than that of the topsurface of the cover 330 is disposed around the inlet 331. The guiderecess 333 prevents water which does not pass through the inlet 331 fromstreaming along the top surface of the cover 330 when the water isinjected through the inlet 331.

That is, since the guide recess 333 is recessedly disposed at the levellower than that of the top surface of the cover 330, a predeterminedamount of water pools in the guide recess 333, and then, the water isintroduced into the water storage space 311 through the inlet 331.

The locking member 334 hooked onto the hooking end 313 is disposed on afront end (when viewed in FIG. 3) of the cover 330. The locking member334 is rotatably coupled to the front end of the cover 330. When thecover 330 is closed, an interference protrusion 335 interfering with thehooking end 313 is disposed at a position corresponding to the protrudedhooking end 313.

When the locking member 334 is pivoted in a downward direction in casewhere the cover 330 is pressed downwardly, the interference protrusion335 is hooked onto a lower portion of the hooking end 313.

A hinge 336 for rotating the cover 330 is disposed on the cover 330.

A coupling recess 337 into which the leakage prevention member 370 isinserted is disposed in a bottom surface of the cover 330 at a positioncorresponding to the pressing rib 314.

Ribs 338 and 339 protrude from the bottom surface of the cover 330 ofboth sides with respect to the leakage prevention member 370 such thatthe leakage prevention member 370 is insertedly coupled to the couplingrecess 337. The leakage prevention member 370 has a ring shape, and thecoupling recess 337 and the ribs 338 and 339 have a shape correspondingto the leakage prevention member 370.

The ribs 338 and 339 include an inner rib 338 and outer rib 339 spacedfrom the inner rib 338. The ribs 338 and 339 have heights different fromeach other.

In detail, the inner rib 338 is disposed at a height corresponding tothe leakage prevention member 370 or a height greater than that of theleakage prevention member 370. On the other hand, the outer rib 339 isdisposed at a height lower than that of the leakage prevention member370.

Thus, when the cover 330 is closed, a portion of the leakage preventionmember 370 is spread and surrounds an upper end 339 a of the outer rib339 to increase a sealing force of the body 310, thereby preventing thewater from leaking.

The leakage prevention member 370 is inserted into the coupling recess337. For example, the leakage prevention member 370 may be formed of arubber material having an elastic force including a silicon rubber.Thus, when the cover is closed, the leakage prevention member 370 ispressed by the pressing rib 314 to seal a space between the body 310 andthe cover 330.

At least one or more chambers 372 are disposed inside the leakageprevention member 370 such that the elastic force increases by anexternal force to improve the sealing force. The chambers 372 aresuccessively disposed along a length direction of the leakage preventionmember 370. Each of the chambers 372 has a loop shape.

In this embodiment, the plurality of chambers 370 is disposed in theleakage prevention member 370 such that the elastic force of the leakageprevention member 370 increases, and also an sealing effect of theleakage prevention member 370 is improved. Also, the plurality ofchambers 370 is disposed in the coupling recess 337 in a directionparallel to a insertion direction of the leakage prevention member 370.

Thus, when the leakage prevention member 370 is pressed by the pressingrib 314, a portion of the leakage prevention member 370 is spread towardthe upper end 339 a of the outer rib 339, and a great portion of theleakage prevention member 370 is pressed by the pressing rib 314 to sealthe cover 330 to the body 310, thereby preventing the water within thebody 310 from leaking into the outside.

An operation of the water storage unit 300 including above-describedcomponents will be simply described below.

In order to supply water into the ice making unit 100, the user injectsthe water into the water storage unit 300. For injecting the water, thewater is injected by separating the water storage unit 300 from the icemaking apparatus 10, or the water is injected through the inlet 331 in astate where the inlet lid 332 is opened.

The case in which the water storage unit 300 is separated will now bedescribed in detail.

In the state as illustrated in FIG. 3, the user rotates the cover 330 asillustrated in FIG. 4 to open the water storage space. Thereafter,filtered water or potable water is injected into the water storage space311 of the body 310, and then the cover is closed.

At this time, the pressing rib 314 presses the leakage prevention member370. Thus, the leakage prevention member 370 is pressed in a directionin which the pressing rib 314 presses the leakage prevention member 370.Also, the portion of the leakage prevention member 370 is spread towardthe outer rib 314 to seal the space between the cover 330 and the body310, thereby preventing the water within the water storage unit 300 fromleaking.

The water storage unit 300 is coupled to the upper portion of the case11. The water is supplied into each of trays 110 and 120 through thedischarging unit disposed on the bottom surface of the water storagespace 311.

According to this embodiment, since the elastic force of the leakageprevention member increases to improve sealing, it can prevent the waterwithin the water storage unit from leaking.

Also, since the water within the water storage unit does not leak, itcan prevent the outer appearance of the ice making apparatus(especially, the water storage unit) from being dirtied due to freezingaccording to the leakage of the water.

1. An ice making apparatus for a refrigerator, comprising: an ice makingunit for generating ice; and a storage unit for supplying water into theice making unit, wherein the storage unit comprises: a body in which astorage space storing the water is defined; a cover opening and closingthe storage space; and a leakage prevention member coupled to the coverto prevent the water within the body from leaking, the leakageprevention member comprising one or more chambers therein.
 2. The icemaking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises acoupling recess coupled to the leakage prevention member, and the bodycomprises a pressing rib for pressing the leakage prevention member. 3.The ice making apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the covercomprises an inner rib and an outer rib disposed outside the inner rib,and the coupling recess is disposed between the inner rib and the outerrib.
 4. The ice making apparatus according to claim 3, wherein theleakage prevention member and each of the ribs have loop shapes,respectively.
 5. The ice making apparatus according to claim 3, whereinthe outer rib has a height lower than that of the leakage preventionmember.
 6. The ice making apparatus according to claim 2, wherein theleakage prevention member comprises a plurality of spaces, and theplurality of spaces is disposed in a direction in which the leakageprevention member is inserted into the coupling recess.
 7. The icemaking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more chambersare successively disposed along a length direction of the leakageprevention member.
 8. An ice making apparatus for a refrigerator,comprising: an ice making unit for generating ice; and a storage unitfor supplying water into the ice making unit, wherein the storage unitcomprises: a body in which a storage space storing the water is defined;a cover opening and closing the storage space; a plurality of ribsprotruding from the cover, and the plurality of ribs being spaced fromeach other; and a leakage prevention member coupled between theplurality of ribs, wherein the ribs protruding from the cover haveheights different from each other.
 9. The ice making apparatus accordingto claim 8, wherein each of the ribs has a loop shape.
 10. The icemaking apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of ribscomprises an inner rib disposed inside the leakage prevention member andan outer rib disposed outside the leakage prevention member.
 11. The icemaking apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the outer rib has aheight lower than that of the inner rib.
 12. The ice making apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein the outer rib has a height lower thanthat of the leakage prevention member.
 13. The ice making apparatusaccording to claim 8, wherein the leakage prevention member comprisesone or more chambers therein such that a sealing force increases whenthe cover shields the storage space.